Nigeria, Rwanda Battle for 2026 World Cup Qualification in Africa

Nigeria's national football team, the Super Eagles, find themselves in a precarious position in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, sitting fourth with seven points from six matches. They face a crucial home game against Rwanda, who are second in the group with eight points, in a must-win encounter to keep their World Cup hopes alive. The Super Eagles, led by captain William Troost-Ekong, are focused on securing victory first against Rwanda before preparing for a challenging away match against group leaders South Africa. Nigeria's recent inconsistent performances, particularly at home, have put additional pressure on the team, but players like Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Bright Osayi-Samuel, and Ola Aina have expressed strong determination and unity to win the upcoming match. Rwanda, motivated by their own ambitions to qualify for the World Cup for the first time, have been training in Nigeria and are confident under new coaching leadership, emphasizing that losing is not an option. The outcome of these matches, along with results from other group games, could significantly impact Nigeria's chances of advancing to the World Cup finals.